The US defence secretary has pledged to maintain military ties with Azerbaijan following the controversial election of a new president there in October.

"We intend to continue [our] military to military relationship with the new administration here," Donald Rumsfeld said on a visit to the capital Baku.

He appeared to evade a press question about the alleged vote-rigging which handed Ilham Aliyev the presidency.

The US, he said, would do more to help Baku fight terror and drug trafficking.

"The goal would be to work with the Azerbaijani navy and
maritime forces," Mr Rumsfeld told reporters after talks with the Azerbaijani Defence Minister, Safar Abiyev.

Earlier, he had talks with President Aliyev who described the US as a "strategic partner for Azerbaijan".

Washington is believed to view the oil-rich Caspian state as an alternative source of fuel to the unstable Gulf region and there is speculation that it would like to base troops in the ex-Soviet republic.